Snuba Vs Scuba

[bremmerh]

I was hoping that someone could tell me the difference between the two. Is one safer than the other if you are not a certified scuba diver?

[slick52]

I was hoping that someone could tell me the difference between the two. Is one safer than the other if you are not a certified scuba diver?

 

SNUBA would be safer than SCUBA for the non-certified diver. Depths for SNUBA are usally limited to 20'. You could take a PADI resort SCUBA course that would last 2-3 hours and then do a resort dive down to a maximum of 40'. Some dive operators will take you down deeper than 40' on a resort dive, but IMHO that would be a dangerous thing to do for the non-certified diver.

 

Hope the info helps. :D

[drew sailbum]

While both SNUBA and SCUBA are remarkably safe when enjoyed in accordance with established protocols, informing yourself of the risks of either activity is advisable. After all, we weren't born with gills and need that equipment to breath underwater.

 

The greatest concern I have when introducing someone to the underwater world is whether that person is prone to panic. Panic is an irrational response to a problem which otherwise might be quite manageable. Good training makes all the difference in reducing the liklihood of injury, even in a panicked diver.

 

Serious injury, including death, could result on even the shallowest of dives... I would say, particularly on the shallowest of dives. A panicked diver who holds his breath whilst ascending will cause serious, life-threatening injuries. The shallowness of the dive makes no bearing on this matter. It is a result of the physical effects of pressure encountered during diving and is exactly the same whether SCUBA diving or SNUBA diving. These effects are most pronounced in shallower depths.

 

To say that SNUBA is inherently safer than SCUBA is simply untrue, and does not recognize that SNUBA exposes the dive to the exact same inherent risks as SCUBA.

[Middleager]

Most people would enjoy a snuba or scuba underwater experience. In snuba you are restricted to how deep you go with the lenght of the hose. Sometimes you could be sharing the tank of air with 3 others.

 

In scuba you can go deeper and have much more freedom, although still need to be really careful. Everyone starts out as a non-certified diver, and learn in the beginning. After some learning and be careful in the dives, most people will feel the experience is an eye opener, as you can see the woders of the undersea world that are difficult to describe in words. Scuba requires more training. If you have time, I'd encourage you to give it a try. I only started 3 years ago (as a middle ager), and loved it since.

[slick52]

While both SNUBA and SCUBA are remarkably safe when enjoyed in accordance with established protocols, informing yourself of the risks of either activity is advisable. After all, we weren't born with gills and need that equipment to breath underwater.

 

The greatest concern I have when introducing someone to the underwater world is whether that person is prone to panic. Panic is an irrational response to a problem which otherwise might be quite manageable. Good training makes all the difference in reducing the liklihood of injury, even in a panicked diver.

 

Serious injury, including death, could result on even the shallowest of dives... I would say, particularly on the shallowest of dives. A panicked diver who holds his breath whilst ascending will cause serious, life-threatening injuries. The shallowness of the dive makes no bearing on this matter. It is a result of the physical effects of pressure encountered during diving and is exactly the same whether SCUBA diving or SNUBA diving. These effects are most pronounced in shallower depths.

 

To say that SNUBA is inherently safer than SCUBA is simply untrue, and does not recognize that SNUBA exposes the dive to the exact same inherent risks as SCUBA.

 

While I agree with drew on his points and I'm not trying discount his apparent knowledge or certification, I would also point out again that SNUBA does not require certification and SCUBA does at depths greater than 40', PADI recommends 20' but not more than 40' after a "Discover Diving" course. Risks exist in both types of diving, even snorkeling, but many more factors do come into play when diving with a tank on your back. :D

[drew sailbum]

I guess the point is that both activities expose the participant to the exact same risks.

 

That said, I would encourage a participant to consider:

 

1) what differences, if any, are justified in the medical screening of participants?

2) what differences, if any, are acceptable in the training provided for each activity?